German: A Homeschool Foreign Language

German is another foreign language option for your homeschool. According to Wikipedia, it is the second most widely spoken language in North Dakota and South Dakota and is spoken by ~1.4 million people in the United States overall. It is a language worth learning to speak! This video gives a sampling of basic vocabulary and will hopefully help you decide if you are interested in learning to speak German.

Madarin: A Homeschool Foreign Language

Are you a homeschooler who wants to incorporate a foreign language into your curriculum? This video is an introduction to Mandarin Chinese and will hopefully give a taste of what the language is like.

I like how this particular video has a slow pace and gives many opportunities for you to practice the new vocabulary. The teacher speaks slowly and clearly as well. It is also helpful to see the pronunciation guide as you learn the vocabulary. Sadly this video is not as edgy as the Learning Japanese from Yoda video previously posted, but I still think that teens will like that the lesson is short and easy to follow.

A Foreign Language for Your Homeschool

This post is the first in a series on homeschool foreign language learning. This series is designed to introduce you and your children to some foreign language options and help you narrow down which  language you want to focus on before investing any time or money on a curriculum.

Have you thought about teaching your children a foreign language in your homeschool? Before you make a decision on what language your children should learn, give them a taste of several languages. Here is a first Japanese lesson for you (HT The Informed Parent). It is very entertaining.

I like how this particular lesson engages the viewer. I think it would be appealing to teens because of the camera work and the tidbits about Star Wars. Using videos made in a similar style would make foreign language learning more interesting for your children (and you, for that matter!).

I hope this taste of Japanese helps you and your children decide if it is a langauge you are interested in learning!

Trust the Process, Homeschoolers

Trust the process.

I think homeschoolers often want their approach to education to work, to be the right way to go. Then the children hit a wall with their learning, and you get frustrated and discouraged by it. It makes you want to push to try to force “it” to happen. It’s as if you think that if you try harder, something will click in your child’s mind. I find that I sometimes push too hard in this very situation.

Trust the process.

As a teacher I know about how children learn. I know that it pays to be patient and encouraging. Children need time practice. They need time to store and retrieve new information. Children need time to synthesize new information. It all takes time. I know that.

Trust the process.

As a mother I want the very best for my children. I know that our society values beauty and intelligence, and I want both for my children because I love them so. As a mother, I believe that my children are both beautiful and intelligent. Somehow I feel like they have to prove that to the rest of the world, though. Sometimes I push them so they can prove themselves to this fallen world.

Trust the process.

Then I hear that little voice in the back of my mind telling me that I need to back off. I need to love my children and teach them about our mighty, loving God. I have to trust the process because there is nothing that I can do to make “it” happen or to speed up that process. In fact, proving themselves simply is not important.

Trust the process.

God is in control. He loves my children more than I can imagine. He has a plan for each of them. According to God, my children do not have to prove themselves to anyone in this fallen world. They have to love God and their neighbor. That is what He wants from them. Through that process they will learn and do great things because they are doing things for God – not me.

Trust the process.

Photo by ninjaeil902

Inauguration Day 2009 for Homeschoolers

Tomorrow is Inauguration Day! Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America. Here are a few things you can do to celebrate in your homeschool. Some activities will take you through the next month or so if you want to extend the theme.

~You can go to the White House website and watch videos, look at pictures, take virtual tours, and read a whole lot of history. There are also games for kids. It is a great website with so much to offer you and your children.

~You can research president-elect Barack Obama. There is a brief biography on the inauguration website.

~Learn about the United States government by reading about what each of the branches is responsible for.

~Do some research on Washington D.C. You can find games and lots of information at Washington D.C. for Kids.

~Complete a study of African American history including a time line of major events. The University of Washington has a great time line that you can use.

~This presidency is historic and the inauguration is an historic event. The following video by the Associated Press, “Emancipation to Inauguration”, summarizes the history of the movement toward equality for African Americans. Please note that this video is meant for either your own background knowledge or for mature students – most likely high school students. Please preview it before you decide whether or not to show it to your children.

Discouraged Homeschooler?

Photo by Saad.Akhtar

Have you been a discouraged homeschooler lately?

I know that we all go through that from time to time. I found a great post about this very topic on the Alpha Omega Publications Blog. The post is encouraging and reminds us that we are not home educating our children alone.

God will provide for you in your time of need.

When I talk to other people about homeschooling, I get mixed responses. I love talking to people who completely support me and my husband for being able to do it. Then I get discouraged when I talk to people who are naysayers. When I am discouraged, it helps to talk with seasoned homeschoolers. The homeschoolers I know are willing to share their ideas and tips when you mention that you have questions or need help. Remember that it is imperative to have support and seek out help when you need it. You are not in this alone!

God will provide for you in your time of need.

Last week I met a seasoned homeschooler at C4’s dance class. She homeschools five children, so she knows what she is talking about. She had many great tips to share with me this week based on the conversation we had last week. I find her presence comforting, too. Her personality is very different than mine, and I appreciate that. I feel as though God place her in my life so I can learn from her. Just seeing her interact with her kids over the next few weeks will teach me more than I could imagine. I feel blessed to know her! I feel encouraged now that I am on the right track.

God provided for me in my time of need.

A Dance and Tumble Class?

Photo by msburrows

As a homeschooling family, we are always looking for opportunities for our children to learn skills that we value but cannot provide ourselves. For our family, we seek out physical activities for our very busy and precocious children. We suggested that my dad give the girls dance/gymnastics classes for Christmas for this very reason. Today was C4’s first “Dance and Tumble” class for the winter session at the YMCA.

Not only did we want C4 to join a gymnastics/dance class for physical education and dance skills, but we also knew that there would be social, emotional, and neurological benefits from the class.

~C4 has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and she is definitely a sensory seeker. The activities in this class provide lots of proprioceptive input, which will help her with motor planning and balance. There are plenty of deep pressure activities in the class as well such as rolling, hopping, and jumping.

~This class gives C4 the opportunity to make some friendships outside of our current circle of friends. I hope that she can connect with other little girls who share her interest in dancing and gymnastics. The class gives her a topic to discuss with her friends, shared experiences, and time away from me and her sister to establish new friendships.

~I hope that the experiences she has will build her confidence in her physical abilities resulting in a better sense of what she can do independently. She often tells me that she is unable to complete a task that I have seen her do a dozen times. I suspect that her frustration is a result of her SPD sometimes and other times is part of her limit-testing as a strong-willed child. Perhaps she will gain better control over her proprioceptive function through her dance class and maybe learn a little about following the rules.

~Most of all, I hope that C4 has fun in this class. Today she was so excited that she was going to her class that she simply could not nap. As we got ready to leave the house, she kept telling A2 about how she was going to a special dance class that Papa gave to her for Christmas. When we arrived, she ran right into the room. She dove into the class. She smiled. She laughed. She was thrilled by the end of class. She made sure to tell Daddy all about her experiences.

I have high hopes for this little class!

Deciding to Homeschool a Child with Special Needs

Photo by jimmiehomschoolmom

There are many advantages to home education, and people homeschool for various reasons. Homeschooling  a child with special needs adds another layer of trails and rewards to your experience. If you have a child with special needs and you are considering home educating him/her, consider these benefits and challenges.

BENEFITS

~Scheduling appointments with certain doctors may be easier because of your flexibility, and you can schedule appointments with specialists and therapists during non-peak hours. You also can travel far to see doctors, therapists, and specialists who you feel are going to meet your child’s needs better than anyone local can.

~You are able to observe your child in a variety of situations, both learning and casual, to gain insight into his/her learning style and needs as well as see progress you wouldn’t normally see. You can share that information with professionals who work with your child. You can also observe whether or not your child tries out strategies that individual professionals are recommending.

~You have the freedom to develop a curriculum that is tailored to meet your child’s learning needs and interests. For example, you can let your child use a therapy ball as you and your child deem necessary or you can allow your child to have frequent breaks to  move as a reward for working hard on difficult tasks.

~You can reinforce the various techniques that other professionals are using throughout the day at times that seem the most appropriate.

~Your child will have more time to pursue interests that may help him/her academically, socially, physically, and emotionally such as horseback riding, karate, sport, gymnastics, dance, music lessons, and art classes.

CHALLENGES

~It can be frustrating and difficult to be at home all day with a child with special needs (depending on what those needs are). Do you have support available for both you and your child?

~Sometimes you will not see progress immediately. There may be times when you are not sure how to help your child. That may make you wonder if your child is benefiting from the learning experiences that you are providing or if you are capable of homeschooling. Again, do you have the support that you and your child need? Dads, extended family, and other homeschoolers are invaluable when you feel discouraged.

~Your child may need expensive equipment for various kinds of accommodations. Will you have the funds to buy, the expertise to use, and the space to store those items?

Consider all of your options before you decide to homeschool a child with special needs.

Using Field Trips in Your Homeschool

Are you dreading getting started with school after a delightful vacation time? Take a field trip! Here is an example of what you can do with a particular field trip to make returning to school exciting.

Plan a trip to your local children’s museum.

BEFORE YOUR TRIP

~Research together the exhibits in the museum including those exhibits that are there for only a short time. Plan out your schedule to include the exhibits you would like to spend the most time visiting.

~Decide how much money you will need to cover all of the expenses and create a budget. Don’t forget to include the cost of food and parking.

~Have your children use maps to locate the museum and determine the best route to take to get there.

~Read various books related to one of the exhibits.

DURING YOUR TRIP

~While visiting the different exhibits, ask your children probing questions. Encourage them to make hypotheses and deductions. Show them how certain things work.

~Bring your science journals along. Have your children spend some time at the museum writing about a science related exhibit.

~Take photos of the activities your children enjoyed the most. Use those photos to write a story. You can even make a book about your trip.

AFTER YOUR TRIP

~Write letters to the museum staff about your experience. Include postive experiences as well as anything you feel needs to be changed.

~Make note of topics that your children found interesting at the museum. Continue to study that topic in the coming weeks.

~Create your own brochure for the museum. Include directions, parking information, dining options, the cost of admission, and information about the exhibits. Use thumbnail size photos from the visit in the brouchure.

Kick Start Your Homeschool Without Kicking and Screaming

Kick start your first day back to school without kicking and screaming (from either the kids or you)!

~Mom, you need a little quiet time to get your head in the game. Ask God to lead your school day, and perhaps find a verse that you can keep on hand to motivate you.

~Coffee never hurts in times like these! Try offering chocolate milk or a smoothly to the kids to celebrate returning to school.

~Play some soothing music as you start your day. Music can change everyone’s mood!

~Take it slowly. On days like these you are not getting anything new done. Try doing some review. Perhaps you could play an educational game, or let the kids choose something that they enjoy doing. C4 loves it when I read to her, so we often warm up with a few great books.

~Sometimes having a goal is motivating. Set a goal for the day and reward everyone once you achieve it.

~This might be a day to do some science experiments. Hands-on work can be fun. Do experiments that are completely unrelated to what you have been doing. That might make it seem like they are not doing school work.

~Take the focus off of your life and do something for someone else. Make a meal and deliver it to a family that has a new baby. Visit an elderly neighbor with some homemade cookies. Write thank you notes to your church leaders. Put together a care package for someone serving overseas either in the military or as a missionary.

~Be patient with yourself and the children. it is always difficult to get back into the routine. In a couple of days you will all be back on track!

What do you do on those days when you and the kids are just not interested in getting into school?